The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-10-11
HUFF'S HOT SHOT.
"A Strong Speech Against the
! Sale of the State Road.
BROWN HANDLED WITH GLOVES OFF

yesterday.
''Mr Speaker, when the house adjourned
on Saturday was reviewing the letter OF Pres
ident Joseph E. Brown of July s, addressed to
fhe governor of Georgia. In that letter Mr..
Speaker, he says; Having read your message
with care and then goes on to enumerate the
improvements put on the road by the lessees,
and TO state that all these improvements cost
a large sum of money He does not claim
ANYTHING FOR BETTERMENTS,
tbut the letter is an invitation for an adjust
znent of b6ttermentS.
. He says that an arrangement could be made
with the lessees to keep the railroad in its
present splendid condition.
There is
NOTHING AMBIGUOUS ABOUT THAT.
"But ii the state refuses to do anything
President Brown says that there is no other
alternative but ito diminish the expenditure of
The road, to economize and try to return ii i'll
as nearly the same condition as it was received
in
"Bear it in mind I beg YOU, that President
Brown understands the meaning of words, as
anyone who heard him before the governors
high court, when he took the act of 1876 and
TORE IT INTO DOLL RAGS,
Cor although the act is attributed to Judge W.
M. Reese, it was written by Joseph t. Brown,
and he knows what lie meant
"ln his letter to Governor Gordon he says:
You and other men of your age will remem-
Der the wretched condition of the State road
when it was turned over to the lessees. The
4utllG record IN the once OF the secretary OF
state accurately describes it,
"-Nnd lie proposes that the state is TO receive
st back in that shape!
f'l'rcSident Brown says that unless the state
agrees with the lesseeS they will commence
earl to place it in that order as to return it in
as good condition only as it was received. He
did say that he would not lease it. He did not
say that he would not purchase it. This letter
was an attack to depraciate the value of the
Foad. 10 further strengthen his position he
goes on to enumerate the depreciation of the
road by competition. He had but one object
and that to put the property in such condi-
sion that
NO ONE WOULD LEASE IT.
president Brown proceeds to give the
general assembly some advice by sug-
gesting that the next lease act
venting its lease by railroad or express compa-
nies. as the state would have it in its power to
protect the lessees, despite the effort of COM
petilg lines to deprecate it. He closes by
saying: Still it is not for me to say who shall
be lessee. But he intimates that the leSsCeS
have paid in as rental S5,100,00o
president Brown, after waiting two months,
comes i'll
WITH AN AMENDMENT
indicated what he intended to do. This
amendment is in the shape of letter address,
ed 10 the world. There is no use for us to adj
vertiSe this property. President Brown has
saved us this expense. The publication Of his
ietteRfn THE CONSTITUTION, with its wide
spread circulation, covering all the points
named in the majority report, give ample. no.
$ice. President Brown says that he has been
quiet since his letter to Governor Gordon in
July, and has had nothing to say on better
ments
"IIe says that the press and the general as
sembly have had something to say about bet
termentS. This house has been
VERY QUIET ON THE MATTER.
president Brown states that the idea advanced
chat steel rails fixture and that the leSSeeS
cannot remove them is erroneous. The term
fixtures, nc says, does not apply,
f'fhe road is to be retained in as good condi-
zion merely as received in, with one hundred
and tlirty-eight miles of iron rails, T pattern
reduced in weight. The state cannot require
steel rail No particular rail is q fixture. The
state is not entitled to moro rolling stock than
turned over to the lessees. am making no
feSSees have a strong claim. Ii the state does
mot agree, the lessees will not return the road
with bctterments. but will return the road in
fhe wrctched condition it was i'll when re-
ceived.
sis the question of betterments disposed
OF?
'Heavy, heavy,
WHAT HANGS OVER YOU.
''Under these depreciatory letters no respect
able railroad syndicate will make decent bid
{or the property. The first letter was an in
vitation TO the state to make bids The state
having made no bids the general assembly is
informed that the road will be put in a ''wrctch-
ed condition" unless it does something.
"My position this question is
CEEhRS CLEAN-COI AND DECIDED
and that is to protect the road from being
wrecked and to declare that the state will not
pay for betterments.
"Shall we sit here quietly and let President
Brown
WRECK IT WORLD WITHOUT END
syhilc we do nothing? Let us put man there
TO watch it night and day. The world is full
of railroad men who could be obtained. Let
us tell President Brown i'll unmistakable terms,
not one dollar for betterments.
"{.OYeruOr Brown knows. every lawyer
knows, that now is not the proper time to talk
about betterments Let him work out his CON
tract. At the expiration of the lease it may
be considered-not now. The steel rails-put
down five years ago-at the end Of the lease will
be worthless, and President Brown knows that
he could not get one dollar for them,
1t Is TOO SIMPLE TO TALK ABOUT.
"The Athens Banner Waterman says TT
is contrary to the simplest principle of business
to offer property for sale lease over which
there is Il contest or litigation
''Suppose a man comes to negotiate for the
road with Governor Gordon. The next man
ne sees about it will be President Brown. Presi-
dent Brown will tell him that he means to
WRECK THE STATE ROAD,
Cor the 'wretched condition he refers TO, means
Ehat-nothing more, nothing less.
al admire Dr.. Feltons noble advocacy of
the school fund. Some say that the school
fund is q fraud. Education founded taxes
derived from whisky and guano smells strong
1y of Glaud.
81 indulge in no fancy estimate of the value
OF the State road. 1t bears interest on 81 ,jO0-
900, and is worth that sum. The state can
float all hex bonds at 4 per cent Mr. Wolfe
says that lie will take them at that world
Tithoat end, and he is only fly on the bulls
horn
Whose fault is it that the state
Is paying $4,000 interest Every
dollar of it conld he retired. The
report Of the subcommittee Of which Mr.
Watts is chairman, is the most important the
Convict lease not excepted ever made to the
general assembly. 1t gives us full information
We can see 81 500, 900 of surplus property be
longing to the State road and the old capitol
building. Suppose we only realize - 100000
THAT leaves S7,500,00O, and the rental Of the
State road viii pay that. But we retire an
nually $4,000 bonds and 5000 interest. The
property oil Georgia is increasing ia value
The State road is the most magnificent col
lateral in the south
al am talking business facts. It is feared
lhe state might get
POSSESSION or THE STATE ROAD.
II would he only too glad were II so. II
might get into politics Get W. 6. Eaoul or
Major j. w. Green, or Cecil Gabbett in